Nationals in the community

The Washington Nationals organization has done a lot of things wrong, but community service isn’t one of them.

The Nationals have been very active in a variety of activities in the Washington area for several years now, from baseball clinics to school programs.

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This past hemestand, the Nationals were hitting home runs in the community, making their presence felt.

On May 19, Nationals players visited Kimball Elementary School, the team’s “adopted” school in southeast Washington, as part of a “Reading is Fundamental” program.

Several days later, on May 22, the Nationals Dream Foundation and the Earth Conservation Corps combined with volunteers for a clean-up of the Anacostia River followed by a lunch at Nationals Park with players.

That same day, a group of Nationals players, manager Manny Acta and coaches, along with players and coaches from the Baltimore Orioles, visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

On Saturday morning, the Nationals held a young baseball cliniic at Nationals Park for kids from the D.C. RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program.

Sunday, before the series finale against the Orioles, they held a pre-game program to highlight the works of the Foundation and to raise money to support its efforts with the community — focusing on children’s education, health

The festivities included on-field recognition of “NatsTown” Green-Up volunteers and a lineup card delivery by a representative of the Earth Conservation Corps, a partner of the Dream Foundation. Also children from Jan’s Tutoring House, a grant recipient and tutoring/mentoring program in the District’s Ward 6 took the field as the “Starting 9”; and the “Play Ball” announcement was made by a representative of Challenger Little League, a DreamFoundation grant recipient and Little League Division that offers differently-abled children the chance to be part of a team.

Radio

I will be on The Sports Reporters on ESPN 980 AM Washington on Thursday, May 28, from 5 to 7 p.m.